Tips from the pros: PEOPEL students share friendship advice

At the 2015 Special Olympics, PEOPEL students display their awards and pose with their friends/fans.

“Always be nice!”-Gianna Sarena
The exclamation mark was added to this tip for a reason: it is very important. Being nice to others is always the first step to making friends. No one wants to hang out with a grumpy person, a mean person, or someone too pre-occupied with being cool.

“Be a good person.”-Taylor Nichols
“A good person” is a wide open identifier in the best way. Being a good person can mean going out of your way to help others or even just avoiding bad situations. Use this ambiguity to follow this tip with extra vigor.

“Say ‘hello’ when you see someone.”-Bethany Hopkins
Sometimes, two people want to be friends but are both too shy to start a conversation. Building courage to be the first one to say “hello” can ease the awkwardness and be the start of a beautiful friendship!

“Share your interests.”-Michael Fitzpatrick
Your friends are interested in you, so talk to them about what you care about. Be open to what they want to talk about, and figure out what interests you have in common.

“Talk to them everyday.”-Lucas Krate
Consistency is of vital importance when making friends. The more you talk to someone, the closer you will inevitably become as a result.

“Talk, and be friendly.”-Reem Dahdal
Don’t be afraid to participate in conversation. Just make sure you are sensitive to other participants in that conversation, meaning don’t talk over people and don’t forget to be kind.

“Join clubs.”-Brendan Yost
Finding and joining an extracurricular activity has plentiful benefits, including being surrounded by like-minded people. It’s easy to make friends with students who are compatible.

“Hang out outside of school.”-Will Kaouri
Bridge the gap between your school friends and your out-of-school friends by inviting them to hang after school or over the weekend.

“Be kind and caring.”-Melissa Budlove
Exemplify how much your friends mean to you with little acts of friendship, like sending a appreciative text or baking your friends’ favorite kinds of cookies to share with them at school.

“Be polite, approachable, and open to meeting new people.”-Mrs. Wilkins
Forget your inhibitions when meeting new people. If you are open, the friends you make may surprise you (in a great way).